


(Not So) Strangers

by darthkouhai



Series: There's Room Enough For Three [8]
Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, Jackson is also a sweetheart, M/M, Mark is a sweetheart, Mostly Fluff, they both want the best for Youngjae
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-08-12 03:02:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7917949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darthkouhai/pseuds/darthkouhai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In retrospect, approaching a crying stranger during the fall of night and inviting him into his home wasn't a very good idea, but Mark did it anyway.</p><p>(Or, how Mark finds Youngjae and out of the goodness of his heart, invites him in)</p>
            </blockquote>





	(Not So) Strangers

**Author's Note:**

> Here's some MarkJae+Jackson while I finish writing next present-installment <3
> 
> (Youngjae is 16, Mark is 19)

Mark met Youngjae on a chilly, October night. He didn't know why he approached the boy slouched on the bench, didn't know what it was that drew him over. Maybe it was the was Mark could hear the wet sobs he tried to hide, or even the way the boy seemed to curl in on himself much like Mark had in the past.

Logically, approaching a crying stranger during the fall of night and inviting him into his home wasn't a very good idea, but Mark did it anyway.

(He was glad he did. _Who knows where Youngjae would have ended up?)_

"Are you alright?" He approached the boy slowly, hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket.

With soft eyes, he watched the boy spook in fright when Mark first spoke, brown eyes puffy and cheeks wet with tears. Something pulled in his chest because he looked so _young_ , so vulnerable (just like he had been). He was so small too, smaller than Mark by just a bit, but Mark could clearly see that he was at least a few years younger.

Cheeks round with baby fat, messy brown hair, and all-but drowning in the sweater he wore, Youngjae looked too young ( _definitely too young to be alone like this_.) "H-Huh?" His voice was thick with strain, breath catching in his throat wetly after he spoke.

Mark dropped beside him carefully, eyes trailing down to the backpack between them suspiciously, "I said, _are you alright_?" He tapped the boy's chin, turning to face him with a frown, "Why are you crying out here by yourself?"

He noticed the boy's lip wobble and the way his throat tensed when he tried to hold back another sob, and Mark's heart clenched (the tears were still welling in his eyes, threatening to spill.) "I..." Youngjae had started slowly, fingers anxiously picking at the loose threads of his sleeves, "My parents kicked me out."

"Why?" Mark's eyebrows furrowed with displeasure, he felt like he knew where this was going (seen it happen before.) "Only if you're comfortable telling me," he added after a moment, watching the younger boy's frown deepen.

He had shook his head, staring at his sneakers and refusing to look up, "Someone told my parents... That i was gay," his voice was only a whisper, barely loud enough for Mark to hear over the rush of the Han River, but he did. 

(Mark can't forget the defeated coat of shame in Youngjae's voice when he talked about what happened, like it was _his_ fault. He decided after the first time that he never wanted to hear it again.)

Mark bit his lip to stop himself from saying something stupid (like _"that's not a good reason to kick you out"_ or _"Come home with me then,_ ") but there was nothing he could have said to console the boy, at that moment. He knew that he couldn't just leave Youngjae outside like that, _not a chance_.

So he stood up, extending his hand out towards Youngjae with a smile he _hopes_ conveys his feelings _("I understand.")_ "If you don't have anywhere else to go tonight," he starts cautiously, trying not to sound _too_ creepy, "you can crash with me? I'm sure my roommate won't mind."

His eyes narrowed in response to Marks question, eyeing the hand held out to him, "I don't even know your name..." 

Mark had almost dropped his hand ( _what an idiot, offering him a place to stay but not even your own name?_ ), but instead, he smiled, "I'm Mark, nice to meet you."

" _Youngjae..._ "

Logically, Mark knew approaching a crying stranger in the middle of the night and offering him a place to stay wasn't _conventional_ in the slightest, but he was glad he did.

 (When Youngjae finally took his hand, standing up and staring at Mark with his wide, watery eyes, he didn't know if he was doing the right thing, but he didn't stop himself.)

With Youngjae's cold hand clasped in his (Mark noticed right away that Youngjae seemed to _need_ to be doing something with his hands, whether it was playing with his sleeves or picking at his nails), he lead them both back to his apartment, comfortable silence lapsing between them. He could tell Youngjae was tired, his eyelids starting to droop and his grip loosening unconsciously, but he followed closely behind still.

Jackson took to Youngjae just as easily as Mark thought he would, ushering the cold teenager inside the apartment with an eager pull of his hands. Soon enough Youngjae was curled into the corner of Mark's couch in his small apartment above his family's coffee shop. Jackson seemed to be taking the whole thing in stride, not at all put off by the stranger in their apartment and shooting questions a mile-a-minute, wrapping Youngjae in _two_ blankets ( _"Your hands are cold, let me get you a blanket,"_ ) and shoving a freshly-made cup of organic green tea into Youngjae's cold hands.

They learned his age (just barely 16 _, so young,_ ) and where he was from ( _Mokpo_ ), but they hadn't learned the circumstances of his eviction- other than what he'd told Mark earlier. Jackson even managed to find out that Youngjae's been playing piano for years and looked at videos of otters in his free time ( _how_ they came across that topic, Mark still doesn't know but he's glad they did;) he even made Youngjae laugh. It was more of a wet snort but they'll take what they can get for now.

 (The smile on Youngjae's face was worth it.)

 They learned quite a bit about Youngjae's mannerisms after that night; how he sang every time he showered, hummed whatever song was stuck in his head when he was doing little tasks, how he was messy but still made sure to keep things clean, and even how he seemed to warm up to them quickly, almost as physically clingy as Jackson.

( _They did learn how Youngjae's parents found out, eventually. Youngjae had been there for almost five months, taking up a job in the shop down below and finishing his schooling online. Jackson had given Youngjae soju in celebration for his senior year but Youngjae was more of a lightweight than either of them expected._

 _"I'm ready to tell you, hyung," Youngjae had whispered, squished between Mark and Jackson on the couch after the three of them finished off the bottle._ )

In turn, Youngjae learned a lot about them, too. He learned the both of them were foreigners (Mark was American and Jackson was Chinese,) but have been in Korea for a few years already. He learned that Mark was always generally quiet, awkward, but indulged the other two quite a bit. He learned that Jackson, although loud and kind of obnoxious, had a heart of gold and a resilience like none other. How Mark loved martial arts tricking and Jackson loved fencing.

( _Jackson had held Youngjae tightly as he recounted his story; holding him tighter when he talked about Junghae, when Youngjae's voice cracked while talking about what he did with Daehyun. Mark held onto his hand throughout the whole story, his heart aching with sadness because it was clear Youngjae still blamed himself for everything that happened._

 _"It's disgusting, right?" His heart squeezed at the painful crack in Youngjae's voice, watching as a bitter smile took place on his lips. The "I_ ' _m Disgusting," remains unsaid but is loud in the silence._ ) 

Youngjae seemed happier as the months went on, and Mark doesn't regret any of his decisions. He seemed to fit in seamlessly with Jackson and Mark's pattern, weaseling his way into both of their hearts before they even realised. Mark didn't even realise when the both of them started to spoil Youngjae, but he seemed to have both of them wrapped around his finger.

( _"It's not," Jackson mutters against Youngjae's shoulder, shaking his head and tightening his hold._

 _"_ You're _not," Mark finishes, wiping away Youngjae's tears.)_

It should have felt weird, Mark realises, _but it didn't_.

(I _t was only three months in when Mark realised the warmth he felt whenever he saw Youngjae, whenever the brunet smiled or laughed or did_ anything _really, wasn't strictly platonic. He didn't know when it turned to something more, but it did. The way his heart squeezed whenever Youngjae smiled, how he urged to hold him and never let go; a passion so unfamiliar, yet so nice._

 _That passion went away after a year; giving way to something calmer, softer, and Mark is thankful for that. As they got closer, as he learned his way around Youngjae's soft heart and Youngjae his, they fell into something familiar and safe; something they both needed. His heart may have stopped racing and the butterflies may have went away, but he knew he'd always love Youngjae._ )

He was never one to get close to people that easily; even if, back in America, he had friends, he was always the quieter one among them. After coming to Korea, he was alone until he met Jackson (who needed a place to stay until he could get back on his feet in Korea) but after that, because of Jackson he ended up with a group of friends he wouldn't trade for the world.

( _Youngjae is one of them_ , Mark had thought, watching the younger bicker with Jackson on the couch.)

 Jackson left a year later, heading back to China for the next six months so it was only Mark and Youngjae left in the apartment. It wasn't awkward, but the both of them could definitely feel the absence of Jackson's bright personality- which is how they ended up with Coco.

Coco was another whim ( _I've had a lot of those_ , Mark chuckles,) one that Youngjae agreed with and soon there was _another_ addition to Tuan-Wang-Choi residence. She was a small, fluffy thing with white fur and soft paws, but managed to claw her way into Mark's heart the same way Youngjae did.

Two years later, with Jackson back, his apartment had never been livelier, but Youngjae would soon leave for college, deciding to live in the dorms so he wouldn't have to pay for transport. 

(Mark was proud of him for graduating, for going back and staying strong, but he sad that Youngjae was going to leave them and even worried because he'd be all by himself again.)

Jackson bid a _"heartfelt farewell_ ," the day Youngjae left, complete with crocodile tears and a bone-crushing hug (" _Our son's all grown up,"_ Jackson joked with a sniffle, watching Youngjae as he packed his bags.) Mark, although just as distraught, did in fact _not_ cry because while Youngjae _was_ leaving, Mark would still see him almost every day.

(Before he left, Mark made sure Youngjae knew to call him or Jackson if he needed anything or if he felt lonely.)

 

Looking back, he knew that approaching a crying stranger in the middle of the night wasn't conventional and offering them a place to stay was even weirder but he thinks, now, that he made the right decision.

As Youngjae looked back at them, his proud grin blinding and his laughter echoing throughout the apartment, he _knows_.


End file.
